Alexandra Leitão, candidate for the Lisbon City Council, intends to extend free public transportation to all residents of the municipality. This is the first measure of the socialist’s program for the municipal elections, aiming for a “clear commitment” to sustainability and an enhancement of “urban quality of life.”
“It’s time to refocus on public transport, ensuring more comfort, better service quality, and greater efficiency: more comfort at stops and stations; improvement of the fleet and circulation with more bus lanes and increased service offer and reliability, with greater coverage and punctuality,” states the campaign announcement from Alexandra Leitão, issued this Monday.
Public transportation in Lisbon is currently free for young people up to 23 years old and for individuals aged 65 and over.
The socialist argues that this measure “follows the example of successful measures” from the previous PS Government, citing the six-year-old Navegante Metropolitano Pass.
“It demonstrated that affordable and universal tariffs promote real behavior changes and reduce car dependency,” notes the candidate for Lisbon City Council.
Beyond environmental issues, Alexandra Leitão believes the proposal will also significantly impact the family budgets of those living in the capital.
“In 2023, [transportation] represented 11.3% of household expenses in urban areas, nearly the same proportion as food (12.2%). With this proposal, Alexandra Leitão reaffirms her commitment to a fairer, more inclusive, and environmentally friendly Lisbon,” adds the statement.
It is worth noting that Alexandra Leitão decided not to run for PS leadership, focusing on the municipal election race. In her view, the municipal elections are “crucial for the PS.” The party “must win and will win.”
